COUNCILLORS have backed new powers to stop the yobs.

The plans - unveiled in the Examiner on Monday - include setting up a special top-level panel to tackle all anti-social behaviour.

A Kirklees Council overview and scrutiny committee report yesterday also recommended a proof of age card scheme and greater measures to tackle school truants.

It also called for more neighbourhood wardens.

Councillors called for a full study of anti-social behaviour to be carried out and for more recreation facilities to be provided for youngsters.

The panel's report is expected to be rubber-stamped at the next full council meeting on October 29.

Panel chairman Clr Andrew Palfreeman said: "This is an important piece of work, looking at something that seriously concerns a lot of people in Kirklees. The report seeks to pull together action by the council and its partner agencies."

He added that the report sent a clear message and showed the best way forward to everyone involved.

The moves follow the setting up of a panel of council officials and police to look at issues surrounding anti-social behaviour and how it could be tackled.

Huddersfield police commander Chief Supt John Holt said if the panel's views were implemented they would make Kirklees a leader in looking at anti-social behaviour and its causes.

When the panel met yesterday Clr Margaret Bates said: "We all welcome this report, because anti-social behaviour is on the increase in all areas."

She added that mixing young and elderly people in accommodation could be one cause of the problem.

Clr Robert Iredale said it was difficult to decide what was anti-social behaviour.

Clr Jean Calvert said the report concentrated on low-level nuisance, like underage drinking, not the serious problems experienced in her ward at Deighton.

She said: "My ward is more about groups of youths who have dropped out of society.

"In Deighton we have a more deprived anti-social background than places like Mirfield - but they get neighbourhood wardens."

Clr Sheila Hey, also on the panel, said money for more wardens was coming through the Neighbourhood Renewal fund.

Clr Annie Smith, who represents Birkby, said the way to tackle serious problems was to get in early.

There were two kinds of anti-social behaviour in her ward - groups of men aged 18 and over and groups of youngsters aged eight to 13.

She added: "The Muslim community have nowhere to hang around because they don't use pubs. So we have older Asian men on the streets.

"The second group is younger kids. They have ringleaders who are very damaged young people. We could pick them out and do something with them.

"There is one young lad whose mother is a drug addict and prostitute. He is causing havoc and he's 10. Another is drug running for people. We need to distinguish between them and those just hanging around."

Simon Massey, of Kirklees Community Safety Partnership, said early intervention panels were being set up around the district to deal with troubled youngsters before anti-social behaviour orders were needed.

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